Time Difference
Thailand is seven hours ahead of GMT.
Money
The national currency is the baht. Euros, pounds and US dollars can be exchanged in all banks and at authorised currency exchange shops. The hotels charge a commission on foreign exchange transactions. Most international credit cards (Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Diners) are accepted by banks, hotels, restaurants and many shops. You can withdraw cash from street machines at all hours. Banks are open Monday to Friday from 08.30 to 15.30.
Electricity and Plugs
The mains voltage in Thailand is 220 volts. We recommend carrying a "universal" adapter.
Local Amenities
The shop opening times vary quite a lot. All shops are open Monday to Friday, however, many shops are open seven days a week and 12 hours per day. General office hours are from 08:30 to 16:30, Monday to Friday.
Media
The Nation and Bangkok Post are both newspapers printed in English. There are many radio stations, especially local and musical. There are six national TV channels, plus regional channels and cable (TV5 is easily accessed). The foreign papers is widely distributed in major cities. The government has full control of more than 100 radio stations and two television channels.
Post
In large cities, the post office is usually open from 08:00 to 17:30 (16:30 for small cities), Monday to Friday. On Saturday, post offices open from 08:00 to 12:00, they are closed on Sundays. The central post office is open from 08:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00. It costs about 10 baht to send a letter from Thailand to UK.
Phone
To call Thailand from UK, dial 00 + 44 + 66 without 0 followed by the number of your correspondent. To call UK from Thailand, dial 001 + 44 + the number of your correspondent to 9 digits (without the first 0). It is very easy to buy card payphones in major cities; you can buy the cards in post offices and small businesses.
Internet and Mobile Coverage
There are many Internet cafes in all the large and medium cities. There is good signal, except in remote areas and the mountainous regions. We advise you check with your carrier on conditions for access to the local network.
Currency
THB
